Newport News student dies after cross country practice

The first official day of pre-season workouts ended in tragedy for Menchville's cross country team.

Joy Meyer, a rising freshman, collapsed and died following her run on the Noland Trail on Thursday morning. She was 14 years old and had no medical issues listed on her recent physical.

"Joy Meyer was a young lady that truly embodied her name," said coaches Dennis Zollicoffer and Chris Chappell in a released statement. "She was joyful. She always had a smile on her face. She was a great encouragement to her team.

"Joy was a very hard worker and dedicated to her sport. We will miss her and the joy she brought to our team."

According to Michelle Morgan-Price, a spokesperson for Newport News Public Schools, Meyer had just finished her run at approximately 9 a.m. when she told a teammate she felt dizzy. After she collapsed, she was taken by ambulance to Riverside Regional Medical Center.

Morgan-Price said her office was notified at approximately 11 a.m. that Meyer had passed away. She said she is unaware of the cause of death.

"A lot of people are suspecting a lot of things,” she said, “but there's nothing official."

Morgan-Price said the team will return to practice Monday in honor of Meyer.